Permaculture on a difficult steep bush block.With a steep small bush block, rock shelves, boulders and a thick eucalyptus forest, this site provides many reasons for not building a garden, but these challenges have provided some creative solutions: water capture, terracing, soil creation and enrichment, on-site green waste management plus classic permaculture design elements.

A traditional Sydney suburban garden incorporating food production. Raised vegetable beds have replaced the front lawn. The vegetables and fruit are fertilised by 3 chooks in a deep litter system, 4 compost bins and 2 worm farms. This garden shows how fruit and vegetables can be incorporated into a traditional garden.

Permapatch –Lane CoveCommunity GardenOpen: 2–5 pm

Located behind the old Uniting Church, cnr Mowbray and Pacific Highway, Lane Cove/Chatswood. Plenty of parking on site –enter from either road.

This is on a small rise overlooking the beach, and parking is limited. There is ample parking at the foot of the hill leaving a walk of about 50 m to the house.

A great example of how sustainability can be integrated into our everyday lives: a contemporary Australian beach home in harmony with the natural environment and incorporating many sustainable features. Native shrubs have been used exclusively to minimize the need for watering. The back yard features a small grassed area and a small covered vegetable and herb garden.

Northern Beaches

Permanora –25 Elanora Rd Elanora Heights Open: 12pm–4pm

A young, developing, evolving garden designed around the principles of Permaculture, covering ~1100m2 of terraced slope. Visitors will be able to see a number of permaculture techniques in use such as companion and guild planting, banana circle, composting, no dig and raised beds, espalier, grafted 'fruit salad trees', native foods, native bees, worm farms, ponds, aquaponics, zonal planting and garden structures made of bamboo and recycled materials.

New Leaf Nursery is an exciting new nursery on the Northern Beaches of Sydney specialising in sustainable living that is fun for the whole family. Come and see our great range of backyard chickens, dwarf rabbits, quails and guinea pigs, & lots of coops and hutches to go.

Inner West

6 Browns Avenue, Enmore Open: 10am–2pm

Urban Permaculture garden - see just how much food you can grow on 1/8 acre within walking distance from Sydney UBD! Chooks, over 50 fruit trees, raised vegetable beds, medicinal, culinary and tea herbs, native bees, rain water, strange plants! Meet some local heroes and participate in a number of activities. $25 donation (children and pensioners free) covers tour, herb teas and a bowl of soup plus a Pc of the last 2012 Permaculture Diary.

East

Randwick Sustainability Hub –27 Munda Street RandwickOpen: 3pm–5pm

The retrofitted community centre, with its photovoltaic panel array, wind turbine, range of rainwater harvesting and storage examples and its PIG (Permaculture Interpretive Garden) offers ideas you can adapt to your own home and garden. There is a reed-bed toilet and drinking water filter station, where you can fill your water bottles for free.

In the PIG you will find examples of home landscaping, garden water management and food production to stimulate your own efforts in creative living. The PIG is a fine example of the principle of multiple-use in permaculture design, combining a public park and an edible, educational landscape. That makes it an excellent venue for many of the activities on International Permaculture Day 2014: join us for workshops, kids activities, music and tours.

West

30 Whitehaven Rd, Northmead Open: 12pm–4pm

Come see permaculture principles applied to a typical western suburbs block. We have tanks, grey water system, raised beds all over the place, composting, worm farm, solar panels, food forest and lots of food.

38 Favell Street, Toongabbie Open: 10am–3pm

Permaculture designed kitchen garden includes herb garden, banana circle, chooks, rabbit/guinea pig enclosure, and various composting methods. Permaculture design elements include a swale, herb spiral and keyhole gardens. Features some unusual fruit trees and a variety of root crops where food stored underground can be harvested as needed.